Thought it would be interesting to see what everyone's opinion was with respect to what you think is the closest 'sister' or 'brother' institution for JMU. Clearly, it's just notional and completely subjective... and really encompasses a simple gross evaluation of academics and athletics.

Mine: Miami (OH)

Miami is probably the closest.

Others:
Western Washington U
App State

Western Washington?! Jeezus man... that's a glorified commuter school. There's a GMU joke in there somewhere.

I have always considered Delaware and Miami Ohio as sister schools.

(12-17-2014 02:35 PM)boozeANDammo Wrote:  Western Washington?! Jeezus man... that's a glorified commuter school. There's a GMU joke in there somewhere.

It's a peer in size, history, and pecking order in state higher ed. I remember it was used in a lot of peer studies when I was at JMU.

Beyond that, I know little of it's rep.

Delaware has way too much of a research basis to be a JMU peer.

Appy

(12-17-2014 02:38 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  Delaware has way too much of a research basis to be a JMU peer.

And way too many more years of having male alums to feed their endowment. In that respect, we are worlds apart.

(12-17-2014 02:38 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  

(12-17-2014 02:35 PM)boozeANDammo Wrote:  Western Washington?! Jeezus man... that's a glorified commuter school. There's a GMU joke in there somewhere.

It's a peer in size, history, and pecking order in state higher ed. I remember it was used in a lot of peer studies when I was at JMU.

Beyond that, I know little of it's rep.

I was actually about to say WWU. When I lived in Ballard, it was my go-to when somebody wondered what JMU was like (with UW=UVA and WSU=VT (sort of)). For the record, GMU=UW-Bothell

I attended a class at WWU recently. It is nowhere close to the academic rep or culture as JMU.

I would like to be a peer w/ Miami of Ohio. I had honestly thought they were a private school till I just looked them up.

Unless it's changed it's always been App St and Miami (OH) from what I've been told, heard, read. Least the last 20+ years anyway.

Many would include ECU.

(12-17-2014 04:42 PM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  Many would include ECU.

I've heard ecu called the odu of nc schools, academically speaking. The "anyone with a heartbeat gets in" kind of school.

(12-17-2014 05:16 PM)Potomac Wrote:  

(12-17-2014 04:42 PM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  Many would include ECU.

I've heard ecu called the odu of nc schools, academically speaking. The "anyone with a heartbeat gets in" kind of school.

Yea, they did take my younger brother...

But, you can still get a good education there. The Med school is pretty reputable and they do some solid research. It ain' Duke, but if you are actually a student and not a doped up surf and skate punk on a 5 year psuedo-vacation thanks to Mom and Dad, you can learn there.

A wise man can learn from a fool, a fool cannot learn from a wise man.

Picked up that little ditty somewhere along the way.

Back in the early 20th Century, we were sisters with Longwood, Radford, and Mary Washington; the teachers schools. The rumor was that Madison was named after Dolly Madison because we were both founded on the same day as Mary Washington.

Thanks to Ron Carrier, he decided to aggressively grow Madison College and welcome men. Longwood and UMW viewed the admission of men with distain. Carrier's vision put JMU way ahead of our sisters.

I've always thought that Marshall, for some reason, reminds me of JMU, though I've never actually been to Marshall. I guess because we used to play them occasionally when I was in school, and they seem similar in the sense of size, geography and public status. Appalachian State also seems very JMU-ish.

Of course either one of them is only a pale comparison to the real deal in Harrisonburg.

(12-17-2014 08:11 PM)Madison 91 Forever Wrote:  I've always thought that Marshall, for some reason, reminds me of JMU, though I've never actually been to Marshall. I guess because we used to play them occasionally when I was in school, and they seem similar in the sense of size, geography and public status. Appalacian State also seems very JMU-ish.

Of course either one of them is only a pale comparison to the real deal in Harrisonburg.

I'm with you there.

(12-17-2014 03:51 PM)EricTheNerd Wrote:  

(12-17-2014 02:38 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  

(12-17-2014 02:35 PM)boozeANDammo Wrote:  Western Washington?! Jeezus man... that's a glorified commuter school. There's a GMU joke in there somewhere.

It's a peer in size, history, and pecking order in state higher ed. I remember it was used in a lot of peer studies when I was at JMU.

Beyond that, I know little of it's rep.

I was actually about to say WWU. When I lived in Ballard, it was my go-to when somebody wondered what JMU was like (with UW=UVA and WSU=VT (sort of)). For the record, GMU=UW-Bothell

Wow, I don't see it. Mostly because Bellingham is nothing like Harrisonburg. It makes Madison, WI seem ultra-conservative. The whole culture is very liberal and grooming habits of the students is, well, not like those of JMU students.

Living in the Carolinas I can tell you App State is about as close to JMU as any of the schools get. ECU is a notch below. South Carolina has one of the worst public school systems in the country, both primary and secondary.

I'd say we're on par the second tier state schools in larger state systems (App, Buffalo, Ohio U) but on par with upper tier schools in smaller state systems (Delaware, New Hampshire, UMass, Rhode Island, etc).

We just need to get out of this "masters level" regional black hole and get on the national stage. No reason for us to be overshadowed by Tech, I don't care about their history or head start.